Solstice
by Kiddinq
Summary: Two years after Prince Hans' banishment and Queen Elsa's return to Arendelle, Princess Anna's wedding day draws closer. The night before the big ceremony however, Elsa disappears, leaving Anna and Kristoff to postpone their plans. When a violent threat is made against Arendelle, the young pair is forced to find the Queen. Can Anna save her sister again and find out who's behind it?
1. Family

_Frozen characters owned by Disney.  
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**1.**

**Family**

**Elsa's POV**

It has been little over two years since I began comfortably reigning as Queen of Arendelle. Depending on how you look at it, so much has been going on or nothing at all has happened since then. I've gotten much work done. Arendelle has become one of the most prosperous kingdoms in the world. Our trade is thriving, and since I am capable of taming the harsh winters of our land, the people here no longer fear ice and snow. It has been a wonderful time for my people.

_It will only get happier,_ I thought, looking outside my window into the harbor. It was such a lovely day. I hoped it would be like this tomorrow. My beloved sister deserved nothing but the best for her wedding. Even Kristoff, the gruff, burly mountain of a man she was claiming deserved it as well. They both did. For all the things the two of them have done for me, I wanted nothing more for their lives to be perfect.

Like clockwork, moments after I was dressed and ready for the day, there was the familiar knock at the door that I had come to expect on a daily basis. It was Anna. The happy sound of her at my door brought a smile to my face. Surely she was anxious about tomorrow. Even I found myself rolling about in nerves. If I was nervous at giving my baby sister away, I could not imagine how she felt.

"Good morning, Anna," I purred, opening the door. She squealed, hugging my neck before I could say much else. We fell back into my room, laughing. "Someone is excited."

"Of course I am! The wedding is tomorrow! I can't wait! We only have a few more things to do and then there's tonight! Oh, tonight!" Anna's long, braided red hair danced behind her, as if to mirror the dancing movements of her feet. She twirled around my room, then hoisted herself up onto my bed. "I can't wait, we haven't had a night together in months it seems! There's been so much to do and I can't wait to just spend time with you!" She swung herself around the large bedpost. I could not help but giggle at her enthusiasm.

"I hate to burst your bubble kiddo but you do have some work to do before the fun can begin tonight. You do remember that, don't you?" I folded my arms across my chest in a valiant attempt to appear stern.

"Not fair!" Anna pouted. She jumped back onto the floor in front of me, lip poked out in a pout. Once again, my firm demeanor had been melted away by her cuteness. Who can tell that face no? A heartless person?

"Okay, okay, I do get to at least do one thing right today," I said, lips curling up in a smirk.

"Oh? What's that?"

"I have to keep you away from Kristoff." With a giggle of delight, I grabbed Anna's hand. She half laughed, half gasped in protest, but as I dragged her out into the halls, she did not object to wherever I was taking her. I had a surprise for her, and I was fairly sure she would like the gesture. After slowing down from our spontaneous run, I stopped her outside a door.

"Now, you have to close your eyes," I said.

"Aw, why? I thought you said no surprises."

"I lied. Now, eyes closed, or I'll be forced to use drastic measures," I threatened with a devious smile. My hand began conjuring up a snowball. Anna backed away in defeat.

"Okay, okay! They're closed!" She obeyed, even putting a hand over her eyes. I took her other hand and opened the door. Leading her in, I took one last look around the room. Everything was perfect, just for her, just as it should be.

"You can open them now," I said softly, squeezing her hand. Anna opened her eyes. She gave a small gasp. Her hand flew to her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes as I watched her take the scene in.

The room was small. In the center of the room was a mannequin. That mannequin had been fitted with a light blue dress, nearly identical to the one I had worn in my ice palace. It was fitted for Anna. The only difference is that it had white trim and a few more snowflakes. I felt myself becoming insecure quickly. Sheepishly I spoke.

"So, you like it after all?" I asked quietly, moving a hand to the back of my neck.

"It's perfect," Anna whispered, blinking back her tears. "I love it."

"I just remembered how much you said you loved the one I wore, and you've been having such a hard time deciding what you wanted to wear. I know you decided on one yesterday, and you don't have to wear this, but-"

She cut me off. Her arms were flung around my neck again. It was such a warm, loving embrace. I couldn't even continue to speak. I hugged her waist. How could I be so afraid of impressing her? Even though she kissed the ground I walked on, I still felt the need to please her. After two decades of ignoring her though I guess it was ground into my brain that I needed to be a better sister.

"It's beautiful, Elsa. I would love to wear it tomorrow. Thank you," she whispered again, only tightening her arms around me. I coughed a little shyly, but smiled despite myself. It was so wonderful to see her happy.

"Now, you can't show it to Kristoff. You want to surprise him tomorrow, right?" I said, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" she agreed, letting go of me. She bounced back, giggling. "Which reminds me. I know I'm not supposed to go see him, but-"

"Ah ah ah, don't you get any ideas, I will handcuff you to me if I need to." I waggled a finger at her.

"But Elsa!..."  
"Don't 'But Elsa' me. You know that you can't see him the day before your wedding. We have plenty to do ourselves to day. We have to test the cake, see to it that all the guests will be taken care of, check the seating arrangements…" I continued to ramble off useless chores that I was fairly certain Anna would have no interest in. But, she put on a brave face and we began our rounds around the castle. I was careful to take her the long way around, away from Kristoff's room, and if she noticed, she did not object. She was growing up.

I was so proud of her. I loved my sister so much. We had been so busy the past two years, it was almost like we'd still not had time for one another, but somehow we managed. She and Kristoff became engaged a few months ago, and I thought it was the most perfect thing in the world. Even though it was beautiful, I was still terrified. Anna and Kristoff were my world. They were all that I had. In a way, I felt like I was losing them. As Anna and I continued our rounds, my mind continued to wander. I felt like a part of me was going to be lost when Anna and Kristoff finally said their 'I dos'. Anna would be a wife. Kristoff would become a husband and a prince. He was such a wonderful match for Anna. I admired him. He and I became close friends following the months after my coronation.

In a completely different light, I was so excited to have a family back in the castle. For years, there was just lonely silence. Anna changed that. Anna was the sole purpose that this castle was brought back to life. She was the only reason I still had a life. I owed her everything, and sometimes, I wondered if I did not tell her that enough. I was happy for her. Truly I was. One day, my sister would become a wonderful mother. She would always be the pride and joy of my heart, and of this wonderful home that she created. I would do anything I could to protect her, and to keep her happy.

I hope she remembers that for the rest of her life.


	2. Sunset

_A big thanks to all of you who have read the first chapter. I appreciate reviews, and I love the favorites and followings I've received! I'll try to update this daily until I'm done. Craving feedback so don't be afraid to compliment or critique. Enjoy!_

_Frozen characters belong to Disney._

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**2. **

**Sunset**

**Anna's POV**

Today was so awful. So boring. So dull. I hated it! All it was, was business this, business that. I hardly got to spend any time with Elsa! It was so frustrating! And I couldn't even get to see Kristoff. That was the worst part of it. We'd spent nearly every day together since we met. A small part of me wondered if he was relieved to have a day to himself. I shook the thought away though. He was my fiancé! He was going to be my husband! He'd never be happy to be away from me. And it was true love, I was certain this time. I loved Kristoff with all my heart. We had to be meant to be.

Didn't we?

I felt a little silly second guessing our relationship. As Elsa and I roamed the castle, seeing the final preparations through for our wedding, I kept coming up with reasons as to why Kristoff and I weren't right for each other. He wasn't a prince! I couldn't marry him. Oh, but, marrying me would make him a prince. So that wasn't a valid argument. He was an ice harvester! It wasn't a profession or pastime fit for a prince. Oh, but, I forgot, Elsa had been teaching him about horses over the past month. While Kristoff still remained passionate about his ice, he was taking quite nicely to caring for the horses (and reindeer) of Arendelle.

Sometime during Elsa's constant ravings about the preparations, I let out a long, tired sigh. I nodded casually here and there, confirming the correct color for the napkins or for the servants' attire. I did get to taste test some chocolate with Elsa. That was fun. Before long though, the sun was setting in the west. The sky was painted with beautiful colors of pink, orange, and red. A few stray clouds blanketed the blue sky to the north. I leaned out of the window of Elsa's bedroom on my elbows, my eyes practically inhaling the sight.

"Oh, Elsa, it's such a gorgeous evening," I breathed, barely listening to her as she responded.

"It is, and it's going to be an even more gorgeous evening tomorrow when you and Kristoff get to have your first dance as husband and wife," she mused, a smile forming on her face. I felt myself grow hot with a blush. The thought of becoming Kristoff's wife still made me giddy. I couldn't restrain myself from giggling. Elsa laughed.

"How-how do you know that?" I semi-demanded, feigning irritation at her laugh.

"Because I'll do whatever I can to make sure my sister has the most memorable wedding Arendelle has ever seen," she stated. Her tone was obviously more serious. I knew that she meant it. That was my Elsa. Since our lives had become as normal as two royal ladies of Arendelle could call 'normal', she had done everything for me. She protected me as best she could. I knew she'd do anything for me. She was my best friend again. My sister, who also happened to be the magnificent Queen of Arendelle, was the greatest thing in my life. And tomorrow, when I gained a husband, she would gain a brother.

All my dreams were coming true.

I suddenly snapped out of my thoughts and dove towards Elsa to hug her. She squeaked, giggling, but reciprocated the gesture. "Thank you, Elsa," I murmured, snuggling into her rather childishly. She hadn't seemed to mind. "I'm so glad you're giving me away tomorrow."

"I'm glad you're giving me that honor, silly."

"No one else would ever be that lucky!" I hugged her tighter. She coughed. I was squishing her and I did not care. "Do you think Kristoff missed me today?" I said rather quietly.

"Oh, that reminds me," Elsa said. She wiggled out of my arms. I huffed in protest but she slid off her bed and went to her dresser. Rummaging around through some papers, she took a lone piece out. "Kristoff gave this to me when we were trying on your dress. He asked that I read it to you tonight. I'm fairly sure it will answer your question." She smiled at me.

"A letter? From Kristoff? Why didn't you tell me?!" I yelped, starting to run at her from the bed.

"Anna, calm down!" she giggled. "His specific instructions were that I had to read this to you, and if I didn't, to let him know, and he'd get you back for it."

I was pouting as hard as I possibly could. Elsa only grinned innocently. "Hey, I'm just following orders," she purred defiantly, leaning back against the dresser. She took the belt to her blue nightgown and twirled it, awaiting my response.

"Fine, fine, read it," I muttered. I sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed. My pout continued.

Elsa cleared her throat as she began reading.

_My dearest Anna,_

_You of all people know I'm not the best with words. I'm not the best with my feelings. I know you. I know you'll spend all of today thinking about me, wondering whether or not I miss you, wondering if we are doing the right thing. I wrote this letter to tell you that we are doing the perfect thing. We are doing the best thing for us. When I asked you to marry me, I meant it with all that I am. Even Sven agrees, that there is no better woman in all the world for me to be with, nor does one know me the way that you do. I know that I am rough around the edges. I know that for the rest of our lives, we'll be helping each other with our problems. We'll be with each other, always, and should I have anything to say about it, we'll never spend another day apart again. Do not ever doubt that I love you, Anna. You are truly the greatest thing in my life. To call you my wife was a dream I did not know I had. As your husband, I hope to make you proud, and show you the man that you have helped make me become. Be sure to thank Elsa for me, for I could not have expressed my feelings without her assistance. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. Dream of me, Anna._

_Your husband,_

_Kristoff_

Before she had even finished the letter halfway through, the two of us were in tears. I hugged my legs to my chest. Elsa had her hand on her mouth, smiling as broadly as a woman could smile.

"I…I didn't know he was capable of something like that," I whispered, letting the tears streak down my face. I couldn't help but smile though, then laugh, even though I was crying. It was a beautiful mix of emotion that I hadn't felt before. "Can I…Can I keep the letter, Elsa?" I requested, watching her. Without another word, she relinquished the piece of paper to me. I looked it over. It wasn't a trick, this was Kristoff's handwriting. I shook my head in disbelief, hugging the parchment to me. "Thank you, Elsa…"

She smiled, running the back of her hand across her eyes. "What a guy you have there, I didn't know he could do that either," Elsa said, laughing a little lightly. "That was beautiful. I'm so happy for you, Anna." Elsa visibly sighed. If I had to guess, it was some kind of sigh of relief. Relief that the man her sister was marrying was truly what he seemed to be.

"He's everything I've ever dreamed of, you know?" I began. I set the letter on Elsa's bedside table, letting my voice carry my wandering thoughts. "And you know, if it weren't for you, he and I wouldn't have met." I watched her, then patted a spot on her bed. She came and sat next to me. "It seems like a lifetime ago, when I met Hans. You were the one that told me I couldn't marry someone I just met." Elsa's head tilted, as if to ask where I was going with this. "If you hadn't left the castle, I never would have bumped into Kristoff…Hans and I would have wound up married instead. Then…Oh, I don't even want to think about it." I shuddered, both thinking of how ridiculous I had been to impulsively chase after Hans, and of what would have happened if Hans had been able to go through with his plan.

"Anna, everything is well now. Hans is in the past and things are going so well." Elsa took my hands. Hers were cold, as usual. Sometimes I wondered if she held my hands just because she got tired of being cold all the time. "Kristoff is your true love. You have my blessing one thousand times over to marry him. And tomorrow, when you walk down the aisle, you are going to be the most beautiful young woman Arendelle has ever seen. Everyone adores you. You are the pride and joy of our kingdom. I can't wait for it to be official." Elsa's voice conveyed her genuine feelings. My heart was soaring. I couldn't help but toss myself at her again, giggling madly as I hugged her.

"Elsa, you're the best sister and the best friend I could have." She hugged me back. I heard her chuckle and sigh, but I only hugged her more. "I hope Mother and Father would have been proud."

"I'm sure they would be," she replied without missing a beat. "I know for a fact that I am proud of you. You're growing into a magnificent lady. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Freeze the entire kingdom," I said, giggling rather stupidly.

"Good answer." She shook her head then pulled away. "Mother and Father are proud of you. I know they are." Elsa smiled, then took the candle that was resting on her nightstand. "They would be even prouder if their two daughters headed to bed like they were supposed to." Elsa got up and started putting some of the lamps in her room out. I rolled my eyes, trying to show some sort of objection, but I was actually quite tired and it appeared that Elsa knew that. She returned to the bedside, blowing out the last candle.

"Elsa?" I muttered a little sleepily from under the blankets.

"Yes, Anna?" she replied as she got into the bed with me. Instantly the temperature under the blankets dropped by at least ten degrees, but I kind of liked it.

"I can't wait to have kids running around here. You think I'll be a good mother?" I asked, purposefully hiding my face so she didn't see my uncertainty.

"I know you'll be a wonderful mother. I think, though, that you are very, very silly." I blushed ferociously and felt her pat my head even though it was under the covers.

Before I could say anything else, there was a knock at the door. I peeped out from under the blanket. Elsa and I exchanged looks while she went to answer the door. It was Olaf.

"Olaf!" I exclaimed, bolting out of bed. I rushed passed Elsa and hugged him. He giggled in the most adorable way while Elsa laughed at the sight. His little flurry cloud doused my nightgown in snowflakes. I loved it.

"Hello Anna," he said, returning my hug. "You were both so busy with wedding preparations today that I forgot to ask if I could spend the night with the two of you."

Before Elsa could say anything, I answered for the both of us. "Of course you can! We'd love for you to!"

Olaf burst into a grin. "Okay! You know Anna, I'm so happy for you and Sven. I can't wait for tomorrow!" Olaf waddled over to the bed, climbing up on the foot of the mattress.

"Neither can we," said Elsa, shutting the door back.

"I'm sorry we didn't think to ask you if you wanted to join us tonight," I said, giggling at the little snowman. He still called Kristoff 'Sven'. He knew that was incorrect, but it was kind of just a 'thing'. No one was about to tell him to call Kristoff by his real name.

Elsa and I got into bed with the energetic snowman. We talked about the wedding, about life, about the past, and about everything else in between. Before long, we were all falling asleep. It was the perfect night to go before the perfect day.


	3. Thief

_I apologize for the delay in getting chapter three posted. My personal laptop is under the weather, and by that I mean it needs a new hard drive. I appreciate everyone's views, reviews, and followings, and I look forward to input from all of you! And once my laptop is fixed, I wholeheartedly plan on doing some reading of my own. Thank you all for your patience. _

_Frozen characters belong to Disney._

_EDIT/UPDATE FEB. 5th 2014_

No, I have not forgotten about my story, le sigh, I just do not have a computer and have been working a lot this week. Plan on chapter four for Friday. Thanks to everyone who has given reviews, follows, and favorites, I love you guys!

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**3.**

**Thief**

**Elsa's POV**

"Anna!" I yelped, jolting away from my slumber. I panted in an attempt to catch my breath and clutched the blanket's edge to my chest. Anna was still fast asleep, as was Olaf, who was curled up in a pile of snow at the foot of the bed. I sighed raggedly, then ran a hand through my hair. The nightmares I had ever since returning to Arendelle to rule certainly were not as frequent as they once were, but every once in a while I would have one. I guess it wasn't that surprising that I'd have one tonight.

Frustrated, I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my chin on top of them. Anna was always a heavy sleeper, so I needn't fear waking her, or Olaf for that matter. I needed to go back to sleep. It was still very dark outside. It was easier for me to shake away the contents of the horrible dreams away now that everything in the world was right. I would realize it was a dream and be able to wake myself up. At least, that's normally how it worked.

My thoughts were interrupted. There was a noise outside. It was faint, almost undetectable. I slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, though the quiet was unnecessary. I peeked out into the hall. This magnificent, gorgeous, formidable fortress of a castle could be quite intimidating in the dark. Massive windows allowed moonlight to shimmer down onto the floor and the tapestries hanging from the wall. It was a breathtaking sight, but I needed to find the source of that noise.

It came again, from my left. It was metal on metal, or so I predicted. My first thought was that it was Kristoff, coming to see Anna. The two of them may have been wonderful companions but they were also wonderful rapscallions. They loved to get on my nerves when it came to the traditions I was in charge of upholding as Queen.

I smiled, shaking my head. "All right Kristoff, I hear you hiding down there, the game is over," I said. I was quite proud of myself.

The pride quickly faded. Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in the back of my neck. Then, there was nothing.

* * *

_I was dreaming again. I knew that without even thinking. Mainly because I was watching a miniature version of myself and Anna playing in the snow in the castle ballroom. It was a common dream I had. It was the memory of the first time I ever harmed someone with my magic. I took a seat on the floor, watching the two children playing. They were oblivious to my presence. I watched, helpless to change the past. I could close my eyes, but the scene still unfolded in my head. It broke my heart, no matter how many times I recalled it, it shattered my soul. I wanted the memories gone._

_But then again, I didn't. They were a part of who I was. Within the first few weeks after my coronation, Anna and I spent most of our time together. I would tell her about the nightmares. Sometimes, if she heard me scream in the night, in my sleep, she would come wake me up and we'd spend the rest of the evening talking. It was a common occurrence then. I wrestled with what I should do. But I finally did tell her about what happened, when we were kids. As I watched the smaller version of my sister jump from pillar of snow to pillar of snow, I cringed. Anna was devastated when I told her._

_One quick misfire from the white-haired girl, and then the memory was over. I looked away._

_She had apologized profusely. Promised me that she had no idea. I knew she didn't, which is why she never understood why I had just shut her out of my life. It was an awful conversation full of crying, apologizing, and hugging. So, I guess it wasn't that awful. Regardless, it brought the two of us closer together. I was able to tell her what happened in my dream._

_Anna told me that I should be thankful for what happened in the past. It was a part of who I was. It was a part of who Anna was, too. No matter what either of us could do, we could not change the past. I would not want to, even though there were plenty of times I wished that I could. She promised that she still loved me. The past didn't matter. We were still sisters. Still best friends. And we always would be, no matter what happened. Well, just as long as I didn't get a big head and decide to freeze everyone that got on my nerves._

_My dreams shifted. We were in Arendelle's chapel. It was a stunning building. Stain-glass windows adorned every corner of the church. There were dozens of people sitting in the pews. I was standing, next to the Arch Deacon. He was the same man who performed my coronation ceremony so long ago it seemed. Then there was Kristoff, wearing a rather fine-looking suit. I realized that this was the wedding. I looked around, for Anna. I was supposed to be walking her down the aisle. Where was she? I had not had this dream before._

_Music began playing. Anna came walking out of the massive oak doors. She was dressed in the gown I had designed for her. For a brief moment, I felt my eyes began to water. Then I laughed, because this wasn't actually the wedding. I was dreaming. She took her time, walking slowly down the aisle. When she finally came to stand beside Kristoff, I whispered to her._

_"You look beautiful."_

_She didn't acknowledge that she heard me. I imagined it was nerves._

_The Arch Deacon began reading from his book. The ceremony was underway. Out of nowhere, I felt a sense of fear. My eyes widened. The fear was irrational. It was the fear that Kristoff was taking my baby sister away from me. That he was going to hurt her, and there was nothing I could do about it. I felt myself start to panic. In the past two years, not once had I lost control of my powers. Even though this was a dream, it felt so real. I was losing it._

_Conceal, don't feel._

_I said to myself, under my breath. I gritted my teeth. I wrung my hands. I closed my eyes and tried to focus._

_Conceal, don't feel._

_It only got worse. There was nothing I could do. I was overwhelmed. It was as if I was in my icy, lonely palace once more, just as the time I struck Anna in the heart._

_The icy magic burst forth from my body. I let out a cry of despair. It struck everyone I loved in their chests; Anna. Kristoff. The Arch Deacon. The castle attendants. Olaf._

_Wait, Olaf?_

_The poor little snowman had collapsed on the floor. How could he have been harmed by my magic? It was ice. Ice should not have hurt him._

_Then I remembered. It was a dream. It was not real. Sighing in relief, I tried to wake up. But I couldn't. I couldn't feel my powers. That was usually how I woke up. In my dream, I just made it colder. It was enough for me to want to wake up and readjust the covers. I couldn't feel my powers._

_The panic I felt this time was real. Suddenly something that had been a part of my life, for my entire life, was not there. The scene of the wedding dissipated around me. I remembered. I remembered being in the castle. Someone had struck me from behind. Someone attacked me. I needed to wake up._

_Wake up._

_Use your powers._

_WAKE UP. USE YOUR POWERS._

* * *

That was quite possibly the worst sleep of my life.

I was in a bed, but it was not my bed. I had no idea where I was. I took a few deep breaths. Daylight shone through the windows of the small cabin. Walking to one of them, I realized that I truly had no idea where I was. This cabin was surrounded by snow. Well, I guess that meant I was in the mountains. But that was all I could discern. I went to the front door of the cabin. Reaching for the handle, I only found that it was locked. Big surprise.

What was a surprise, was the gloves I now found on my hands. They were nothing like the gloves I wore as a child, or during my coronation. They fit, almost like a second skin. In fact they fit so well around my wrists that I could not get them off. It was like they were connected to me. I blinked, but paid them no real heed. I focused on the lock on the door. Freezing it would be easy. I could step outside, see where I was, perhaps get back home. Whichever idiot was fool enough to capture me hadn't thought his plan through.

Or perhaps he did. I blinked once more. The lock was not freezing. No matter how much energy I put forth, there was no ice. There was no cold, no snow, no mere drop in temperature. I looked at the gloves on my hands.

They were prohibiting my powers.


	4. Interruption

_Finally, I'm getting to write! It feels like it's been years. I apologize again for making everyone wait, and I promise today I'll be getting to the bottom of my laptop's problem. Thanks to everyone who's still reading, reviewing, commenting, following, and favoriting. You guys don't know how much I love you! Enjoy!_

_Frozen characters belong to Disney._

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**4.**

**Interruption**

**Anna's POV**

_Something was wrong._

I woke up slowly. Blinked my eyes, looked around, but stayed very still. The blankets were still wrapped around me. My head was halfway under them, so I couldn't really see well, but I could see well enough to know that the sun was shimmering through the windows. But what was off?

I was warm.

I jerked the blankets off of me. Elsa was gone. My breath was knocked out of me. I half-leaped over the bed towards Olaf. The little snowman was still sound asleep at the foot of the bed. I almost hated to wake him, but I hated the thought of losing Elsa even more.

"Olaf, wake up!" I whispered as urgently as I could manage.

"Hm? Sven? Wha?" he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Olaf, wake up, I need you," I said, crawling closer to him. I sat cross-legged, then poked his little carrot nose.

His eyes flashed open. "Anna? You need me? What's wrong?" Immediately he was all eyes and ears.

"Elsa's not here," I started. "Did you hear anything last night? Did she talk to you?"

"Um, no, I don't think so..." Olaf said, clearly pondering on any possible events that could have clued us in to where my sister had ran off to.

I heaved a sigh. "You didn't see anything at all?"

The snowman shook his head. "No. I was sleeping. Maybe she went to go plan some more things for the wedding today."

The wedding! It was today! "Olaf, we need to find Kristoff!" Jumping off the bed, I scrambled to the door. Olaf waddled along behind me at first, then took to sliding around on his belly. Servants were darting in and out of rooms in the hall, presumably getting the final preparations ready for my big day. I wasn't supposed to see Kristoff before the wedding. If they knew that I was by myself, without Elsa, everyone would automatically assume that I was going to find him.

Even if I was though, it was my business! I took a defiant breath and sprinted down the hall. Taking a turn too quickly though, I almost knocked Kai over.

"Greetings, your majesty, my apologies!" he said with a smile. "I know you're excited, but-"

"Quick! Kai, have you seen my sister?" I said hurriedly.

"What? Queen Elsa? No, I don't believe-"

"Okay thanks! Gotta run!" I ran off down the hall, leaving poor Olaf behind. I had to find Kristoff. I had to find out where my sister was.

Finally I came to a hall near the back of our castle where no one was running around. I sighed. I didn't even know if Kristoff would be in his room. Elsa was so determined to make this wedding as traditional as possible. She probably hid him in some remote part of the castle. I thought long and hard as I leaned against one of the window panes. The sun was just rising over the fjord. It was a beautiful sight, but I couldn't enjoy it without knowing my sister was safe.

"Anna?" called a voice. I almost panicked, but recognized the voice as belong to Olaf. He waddled around the corner of the hall, a smile on his face.

"Olaf, don't scare me like that."

"I'm sorry Anna, I didn't mean to. I have something that might help though," the little snowman admitted proudly.

"Oh? What is it?"

"I know where Kristoff is..." he said, climbing up onto a chair to see out of the window. I gasped excitedly, and for a moment Olaf's eyes searched. "He's in that room right there!" His little stick arm pointed to a window below where we were, but almost directly across from us.

"Olaf? How did you find that out?" I asked him, excited. I started unlocking the window.

"Kai was very nice. I just asked him."

Oh. Right. I should have thought of that. "Good job! Are you coming with me?" I said, slipping out onto the roof of the castle.

"Always, Anna!" he reassured, readying himself to slide down the roof. "I'll go first and open the door!" Before I could stop him, the snowman was scooting full speed down the roof.

"Olaf, wait!" Instinctively I had reached out for him, but I lost my balance and was soon flying just as quickly as he was. I tried to grab a shingle or something, but I had no such luck. I heard the snowman collide with Kristoff's window. The next sound I heard was me colliding it with it myself. Desperate to regain control, I clung to the window. Olaf was giggling as he pulled himself together in the gutter below me. I let out a ragged sigh. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah! I'm going to have to do that again!"

I couldn't help but shake my head and smile at him, but my smile faded as I noticed movement in the room. I crossed my fingers, hoping it was Kristoff. My future husband then flung open the window, as if to answer my hopes. The only problem was that it left me dangling over the rest of the roof.

"Anna?! What in the world are you doing out there? Come here!" Before I could even respond, his strong arm reached out around my waist and helped me into the room. He wasn't even dressed yet, and he lacked a shirt. Olaf clambered in behind me, still chuckling. "What's going on? Your sister is going to kill you."

I took a deep breath. "She can't kill me because she's not here and I don't know where she is and I just spent the past twenty minutes looking for you with Olaf and I know I'm not supposed to see you but I don't care because we've got to find my sister and-!"

His hand flew over my mouth and stopped me. I gave him a glare.

"Anna, calm down. So you don't know where Elsa is? Was she there last night, in her room with you?" he asked, keeping his hand over my mouth. My eyes only narrowed and I folded my arms across my chest.

"Okay, and she wasn't there this morning?"

I nodded. He removed his hand.

"How do you know she didn't just...run off, like last time?"

I was appalled at that question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean don't you think she could have been afraid? I mean, technically, like I'm stealing her baby sister? It's been two years and you find a husband before she does? Don't you think that maybe-"

"I think you're ridiculous for even saying that! How could you? Elsa wouldn't leave us. Leave me. Like that again. Last night was wonderful! She told me she was excited for me and for us! I can't believe you'd even discredit her!" I had started pacing back and forth in front of him. Olaf was sitting below the window, watching. Kristoff's eyes remained on me, but his face was expressionless. "How could you say that?!"

"What do you want me to do?" he said, a little defeated.

"I want you to help me find my sister," I demanded, walking over to him. I jabbed a finger at his nose. "We are not getting married without Elsa there. End of story."

"Anna..."

"Don't 'Anna' me!"

"Okay! Okay. We'll postpone the wedding until we figure out where she is." Before he could say much else, I tossed my arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Kristoff," I whispered, tightening my grip. "I just don't want to lose her again."

"I know you don't. Maybe she's somewhere in the castle, getting things ready."

"I don't think so. Kai said he hadn't seen her. They probably think I was sneaking away from her to come see you."

"Which is true."

"That's beside the point," I grumbled. "We need to tell them that we're postponing our wedding for our own reasons. No one needs to know that Elsa is missing right now. It would send all of Arendelle into a panic."

"You're definitely right about that. In the meantime, we'll see what we can find out." Kristoff kissed my forehead and I felt myself blush. "We'll find Elsa, no matter where she is." He gave me a grin. I know that he must have thought I was overreacting, but I still couldn't help but feel like something was deeply wrong in the world, besides just my missing Elsa.


	5. Memories

_I finally have a laptop, I finally have access to the internet once more, words cannot express my happiness! In fact to celebrate I will be publishing two chapters this week, five today and six tomorrow. Thank you all once more for being so amazing with this story. Since it is my first attempt at a fanfiction and sharing whatever ability I have to write with others, I'm absolutely thrilled at the positive, friendly feedback I've been given. I hope to continue writing here and look forward to sharing my imagination in the months to come!_

_Frozen characters belong to Disney._

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**5.**

**Memories**

**Elsa's POV**

It was all I could to to remain calm. I was able to maintain my composure while exploring every single inch of the cabin. There was nothing I could do. There were bars over the windows, the door was locked tight and presumably barred from the other side, and that was all there was. There was a bed, situated in one corner of the room. A dining table and two chairs were on the opposite end of the cabin, and a fireplace was lodged halfway between the two. The floor was covered with some sort of fur rug.

After what seemed like hours of tampering with the fixtures in the cabin, I sat down on the bed. Defeated, I started fiddling with the gloves again. I had no idea how they worked. It was enough to scare me tremendously. Fear would get me nowhere though. I had to figure something out. I may not have been able to use my powers, but I still had my sanity.

And then I thought of the wedding. I inhaled sharply. Anna would worry herself to death over this. I had no idea how far away I was from Arendelle. I had no idea how many days had passed or if only the one night had and it was the day of the wedding. I sighed, hugging myself. What else could I do?

As if to answer my question, there was a noise at the door. The handle turned. I stood up, trying to muster up my courage. I reached to the fireplace and took one of the iron rods. I was by no means skilled with a sword, but it sure made me feel better than not doing anything. As the figure emerged from behind the door though, the rod clattered to the floor and I gasped.

A tall figure shook of some snow onto the cabin floor. He walked slowly to the dining table and sat himself in one of the chairs. When he looked at me, I almost thought I was dreaming again.

It was Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.

"What do you want with me?" I semi-growled. "Why did you bring me here?"

The young man Anna had once fallen so hard and so fast for was barely recognizable. His hair had grown a bit longer. There was a gruesome scar curving down his left jawline. The suit that he had once worn in Arendelle was gone. This time, he was donning some sort of military uniform. A sea officer, perhaps an Admiral's, I guessed. He took a moment before answering me, then looked up. His face was expressionless.

"You looked like you needed a vacation." Hans' voice was sinister. It sent chills through my body, which, for me, was highly unusual.

"What happened to you?" I asked, a little less hostile. I was genuinely curious.

"I'm surprised you haven't heard, your Majesty," he began. His eyes fell on me. I sat down on the bed. "Then again, Arendelle wouldn't pay attention to the affairs of the rest of the world."

"What do you mean?"

"My home is in a massive civil war." Hans shrugged. "I suppose it was inevitable, what with all of us somewhat jealous of our Father. My four oldest brothers began plotting ways to eradicate the rest of us. One would be king...the other three would be given certain parts of the country. The remaining brothers, including myself, orchestrated a mighty rebellion. Everything...snowballed once my father passed away. The oldest four began executing the rest of us for treason. In the two years since I first journeyed to Arendelle, eighteen months was spent fighting for my life. The Southern Isles were ravaged and destroyed. All my brothers, save the oldest four, were put to death. I managed to escape with a small group of loyalists." Hans stood up. He started pacing back and forth between the fireplace and the front door as he spoke.

"That small group of loyalists and I decided that it would be wise to leave the Southern Isles. We've traveled, for nearly a month. I came across many great things in those travels. My men are out now, hidden among your subjects. We're thriving. We are learning. We are biding our time." Hans held his arms behind his back. He looked out the window as he continued to speak. "If you had just..._died..._I would have my own kingdom, and none of this would have happened to me. I'd have had a better future, a better life..." His eyes closed. He took a breath. I could tell he was going frustrated. "My men and I decided to have our revenge. In our travels, we came across a small village in the mountains. There was a shaman there. This shaman was highly skilled in the art of magics. When I asked him about your power, the power to control ice..." the bitter man looked at his hand and fingers, flexing them as though he ached to possess a power such as mine.

"The shaman told me that there were ways to truly eradicate such magic. To have it blocked completely from an individual. I asked him how, and, for a price...he gave me that way." Hans approached me. I stood up to meet him. If only I had my powers, I'd have frozen him where he stood. He slowly reached for my hands. I pulled back, but he grabbed them anyway. His fingers traced the outlines of the gloves. "These gloves are enchanted with a magic even more powerful than yours," he whispered darkly.

"You won't get away with this," I spat, jerking my hands away.

"You're helpless. There's no way for you to take them off and as long as I have you locked here there is no way for you to escape." Hans stepped back. "With Arendelle powerless, their Ice Queen gone and their Princess magicless, it will be the perfect time for Arendelle to fall." Hans' lips curved into a sinister smile. I frowned. "You've already lost this war, and it hasn't even started yet."

"Then what do you want from me? Why keep me up here?"

"So you do not interfere," he mused. "Now indulge me, Queen, I am curious. What is the source of your power?"

"W-what?" I asked, a little surprised.

"The source of your power!" he demanded, stepping back towards me. "How did you get this? This blessing, this curse, this power, how did you get it?"

"I...I don't know," I said quietly. "My mother always told me that I was born with them." I started searching some of my oldest memories. It seemed so long ago when I first learned of my powers. My parents had always tried to hide them from me. "She said that, it was a blessing for Arendelle...that because of me, our people would flourish. My powers would give Arendelle the ability to survive harsh winters. I would be able to protect our kingdom..." My voice was quiet. Even though it was years ago, I could hear my mother's voice. While my parents did want me to control the icy powers I could perform, they never let me forget it was a part of me. My powers were who I was. I wondered why Hans was asking me this.

"Thank you, your Highness. This is all that I need." Hans' smiled and made his way back towards the door. "You'll see your precious sister and her fiance soon, so don't worry. I need you alive right now." I hurried off the bed and made an attempt to dive at the door, but he had slammed it shut. I heard it lock. Miserable, defeated, alone, and clueless, I huddled against the door.

I was alone.


	6. Complications

_Enjoy chapter six guys and gals, again thanks for reading. Feels good to be back up and writing again, especially working on other projects. Looking forward to staying a part of this community._

_Frozen characters belong to Disney._

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**6. **

**Complications**

**Anna's POV**

"But Princess Anna, it makes no sense for you to-" started the Arch Deacon.

"I know it doesn't, and I'm sorry, but Kristoff and I need to discuss things further. Arendelle will just have to wait." I hurried down the hallway with Kristoff and Olaf. The Arch Deacon who was to oversee the wedding ceremony insisted on an explanation as to why the wedding would be postponed, but Kristoff and I agreed that no one needed to know that Elsa was missing. At least not yet.

"But your Highness - "

"She said not now, Deacon," insisted Kristoff. "Now we've got stuff to..discuss." He opened a door for me, and allowed Olaf to slip inside just before me. He followed us in, locked the door, and then sighed heavily as he leaned against it. "Anna, what on earth are we going to do?" he breathed. The deacon knocked at the door. Kristoff pushed me towards the opposite end of the room as gently and as impatiently as he could. I swatted at his hands.

"I don't know, but we have to find her," I said confidently.

"Okay, so where do we start?" he asked as he took a seat in a chair next to the window. "We don't have anything."

I thought for a moment. I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. We didn't know anything, other than that my sister had just disappeared in the middle of the night. Kristoff had done me the service of announcing the wedding's postponement to the kingdom. It was quite disheartening. So many people had gathered at the castle gates just to see us say our vows. We told them that Kristoff and I needed to fix a few things, and that the wedding would have to take place at a later date.

We let the guards handle the disappointed crowd.

"Maybe she went up to the North Mountain again?"

"Why would she do that? Don't you think she could at least find a new place to run away to? I mean, after last time-"

"She wouldn't do that again!" I stuck my finger at his nose defiantly. "She wouldn't just leave me, so stop thinking like that!"

"She did it once, Anna, I'm telling you, I don't think this is really a big a deal as you are making it!" Kristoff stood up. "What if we just postponed our wedding for nothing? I love your sister too, but we don't know if she needed time to herself, or-"

"She would have told us! She would have told me, or even Olaf!"

"Guys?" Speaking of Olaf, he piped up.

"How do you know that for sure, Anna? How can you possibly know what she felt last night?"

"She told me she was happy for me! She told me I'd be a good mother! That, that-"

"Guys?" Olaf said again, a bit louder.

"A good mother? What does that have to do with anything? Anna we're not even married yet!"

I was on the verge of tears. We were yelling and fighting and this was not how a wedding day was supposed to be. "GUYS!" Olaf interrupted one more time, stopping me from breaking down. I sighed. "What is it Olaf?"

"There's someone at the door. I just thought you should know," he said, his attention turning back to the birds flying outside the window. Kristoff and I looked at one another.

"It better not be the Deacon again..." Kristoff growled. He trudged over to the door. "Who is it?"

"Is her Highness present, Sir Kristoff?" the voice said from behind the door.

"I asked who is it," he said once more.

"I'm with Arendelle's Courier's office, I have a note for Princess Anna," said the voice. "Is she present?"

Kristoff opened the door somewhat begrudgingly. "What is it?"

"Here," the courier responded, handing Kristoff an envelope. He was a small man, dwarfed even more by Kristoff's size. "I'm sorry about your wedding, I hope that all is well. I'll be off now."

"Thank you," muttered Kristoff as he shut the door. He handed me the letter. "Read it aloud?"

I opened it with a dark sigh. It wasn't unusual for us to get direct letters here at the castle, but on today, when the whole entire population was supposed to be at a wedding, it seemed a bit strange.

_Dearest Princess Anna and his to-be Prince Kristoff,_

_We are aware of your current situation. In three days' time, you will meet us at the location listed within the map, that has been enclosed in this letter. You will have Arendelle's terms of surrender ready and waiting, and if not, our navy is quite ready and able to take your kingdom. Your sister will be returned safely to you._

_The choice is yours. Three days, at three in the afternoon._

_Surrender your precious Arendelle, and keep your sister. Lose Arendelle by force, lose your sister._

I could barely speak by the time I was finished reading it. I dropped the letter. Kristoff picked it up and separated the letter from the map. Olaf waddled over and sat between us. For a moment, there was only silence.

Kristoff broke it and spoke first. "I'm sorry, Anna," he whispered, touching my face. I put my hand over his.

"We have to find her," I whimpered, leaning into his hand.

"We will, and we're going to start with this map. Three days isn't much time, but we can sneak away tonight and see what we can find here." Kristoff gave the map another look. "We will find her. And we will keep Arendelle."

I took a shaky breath. "How do you know?"

"Because you're you," he said, smiling at me. He wrapped me up in a hug and the fears washed away from me.

"You're right. We're going to rescue my sister, and save Arendelle. And then we'll get married."


End file.
